Submersible frame for maintaining a buoyant object in a flat state during a coating process

Abstract

An apparatus and method for a frame that contains a buoyant object therein and wherein the frame and buoyant object can be submersed in tank of a liquid coating material to fully and uniformly coat the buoyant object. The frame is formed of a top wire mesh and bottom wire mesh coupled together with sidewalls and having an open front and back. The frame maintains the buoyant object in a flat state without distortion during the entire submersion process to allow the entire surface area of the buoyant object to be coated. The top and bottom wire meshes alternately come into contact with opposite surfaces of the buoyant object during descent and ascent of the frame during the coating process. A lifting lug is secured to a center portion of the top wire mesh to maintain the frame in a level orientation through the coating process.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A frame for containing a buoyant object therein to be submerged within a tank of a coating material, said frame comprising:
 a pair of opposing wire meshes coupled together by a pair of opposing sidewalls to form an enclosure with a pair of opposing open sides for receiving the buoyant object therein, said enclosure maintaining the buoyant object in an undistorted flat state as said frame is lowered into the coating material and then submerged therein; and   said pair of opposing wire meshes and said pair of opposing sidewalls comprising a material having a density greater than a density of the coating material.   
     
     
         2 . The frame of  claim 1  wherein said each of said wire meshes comprises an open area that permits the coating material to flow around the buoyant object positioned within the enclosure to evenly coat all surfaces of the buoyant object while providing structural integrity to support the buoyant object during the submersion in the coating material and during a removal of the frame from the coating material and during a drying period of the coating material. 
     
     
         3 . The frame of  claim 1  wherein each of said sidewalls comprises a height that is 1.4 times a largest height of the buoyant object. 
     
     
         4 . The frame of  claim 1  wherein said sidewalls comprise steel. 
     
     
         5 . The frame of  claim 1  wherein said wire meshes comprise zinc-coated steel wire mesh. 
     
     
         6 . The frame of  claim 1  wherein said frame comprises a square configuration in length and width. 
     
     
         7 . The frame of  claim 1  comprising a lifting lug that is coupled to an outer surface of one of said pair of wire meshes at a center location to maintain said frame in a level position during use. 
     
     
         8 . The frame of  claim 1  wherein said pair of wire meshes comprise inner surfaces that are treated with a non-stick material to prevent the buoyant object coated with the coating material from adhering to said inner surfaces. 
     
     
         9 . A method for evenly coating a buoyant object by submerging the buoyant object without distortion in a coating material in a tank, said method comprising:
 forming a submersible frame having a pair of opposing wire meshes coupled together by a pair of opposing sidewalls to form an enclosure with a pair of opposing open sides, and whereby said enclosure maintains the buoyant object in an undistorted flat state, said pair of opposing wire meshes and said pair of opposing sidewalls comprising a material having a density greater than a density of the coating material;   inserting the object into said submersible frame through one of said open sides;   lowering said submersible frame with the buoyant object therein into the coating material while maintaining said frame in a level position;   maintaining said submersible frame with the buoyant object therein in the coating material for approximately a 5-10 second dwell time;   following said dwell time, raising said submersible frame with the buoyant object therein while maintaining said frame in a level position;   positioning said submersible frame with the buoyant object therein on a conveyor to enable air to circulate around an entirety of said submersible frame and coated buoyant object; and   removing the coated buoyant object from said submersible frame through one of said openings after the coated buoyant object and said submersible frame are dry.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said step of maintaining said submersible frame with the buoyant object therein in the coating material for approximately a 5-10 second dwell time further comprises agitating the ceramic coating to ensure there is no trapped air and all surfaces of the buoyant object are coated sufficiently. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said step of forming said submersible frame comprises forming each of said wire meshes to comprise an open area that permits the coating material to flow around the buoyant object positioned within the enclosure to evenly coat all surfaces of the buoyant object while providing structural integrity to support the buoyant object during the submersion in the coating material. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said step of forming said submersible frame comprises forming said pair of sidewalls to have heights that are 1.4 times a largest height of the buoyant object. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said step of forming said submersible frame comprises forming said sidewalls out of steel. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said step of forming said submersible frame comprises forming said wire meshes out of zinc-coated steel wire mesh. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said step of forming said submersible frame comprises forming said frame into a square configuration in length and width. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said step of forming said submersible frame comprises coupling a lifting lug to an outer surface of one of said pair of wire mesh at a center location to maintain said frame in a level position during said lowering step and said raising step. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the step of treating inner surfaces of said pair of wire meshes with a non-stick material, prior to said step of inserting the object into said submersible frame, to prevent the buoyant object, once coated with the coating material, from adhering to said inner surfaces. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the step of inserting the object into said submersible frame comprises a plurality of buoyant objects wherein said plurality of buoyant objects are nested within one another.